


City Below

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, blood and injuries, inspired by drrr au, underground doctor au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-23 05:39:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4865117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ginoza is always patching up Kougami. It's his job. That doesn't mean he likes it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jobs Well Done

**Author's Note:**

> It's another semi-Durarara!! inspired story. In that it starts with a certain plot point from Durarara, but done a bit differently, and some of the characters have roles that characters in Durarara have (like Ginoza and Makishima) but you don't need to know anything about Durarara to read this. Anyway, enjoy!

“Before you say anything, I really want you to get these bullets out of me.” 

Kougami could tell by the look on Ginoza's face that he wanted to say a lot of things. But to Ginoza's credit, he knew what was more important, so he grabbed Kougami by the arm and led him into the living room, pushing him onto the couch. 

He left briefly and Kougami glanced down at the couch, and at himself, and the amount of blood that was coming off him. “I'm gonna stain your couch,” he said. 

“I'll clean it later,” Ginoza said, returning with an assortment of tools that would look sinister held by anyone else. But to Kougami, these tools were part of Ginoza. 

Kougami pulled up his shirt, to give Ginoza access to his injuries. Ginoza dabbed alcohol onto a cloth and rubbed clean a patch of skin on Kougami's stomach, in the middle of his three wounds. Then he brandished a needle, and Kougami winced as Ginoza stabbed it into his stomach. 

“Do you have to do it like that?” 

“Do you want this to hurt more than it has to?” 

Kougami shook his head and gritted his teeth. Truthfully, the wounds all hurt more than the needle. But he had a high tolerance for pain, and apparently a high tolerance for blood loss. And also, he was used to injuries. It came with his job. 

A strange sensation, or lack of sensation, spread across his stomach. Ginoza pushed his glasses up his nose with his wrist and picked up a pair of tweezers in one hand and a scalpel in the other. Kougami watched, fascinated, as Ginoza dug the blade into his skin, and all he felt was a faint tugging sensation. 

It never failed to amaze Kougami, watching Ginoza work. And he'd had plenty of opportunities. Ginoza was his go-to for getting patched up, because he couldn't tell a legitimate doctor about how he got his injuries. And Ginoza, for all his concerns and qualifications, wasn't a legitimate doctor. 

Part of that was probably Kougami's fault. He and Ginoza had known each other for a long time, and when Kougami got involved in the underground community of Tokyo, Ginoza decided to follow him in a tangental way. He said that he didn't trust any doctors working with the sort of people Kougami worked with. Kougami pointed out that this meant that Ginoza couldn't trust himself, if he became an underground doctor. But Ginoza told him that he was the only one he could trust with Kougami's safety. 

Kougami accepted that. He might've been more concerned if Ginoza hadn't had any connection to the underground world of crime. But he did. 

A series of tugs on his stomach told Kougami that Ginoza was now stitching him up. He was muttering things to himself, something about blood and sterilization. A lot of times, Kougami would leave Ginoza's apartment followed by shouts of “You just got stabbed/shot/beaten-up/nearly killed!” Every time, Kougami would ignore him. 

Ginoza leaned back, taking a deep breath. His hands were coated in Kougami's blood. He frowned and said, “You need a change of clothes. And I need to wash my hands. And the couch.” 

“Now?” Kougami moaned. He felt tired. 

“Yes, now,” Ginoza snapped, standing up. He peeled off his gloves and tossed them on the floor, which was apparently his definition of cleaning his hands. “Your shirt's ruined. I can probably get the stains out of your pants. If you want. Also, I'm setting you up with an IV and putting you in the hospital bed.” 

Ginoza had a hospital bed in a spare bedroom. “Why didn't you put me there first?” 

“I was afraid you were losing too much blood.” Ginoza bent over, grabbed Kougami's arm and slung it over his shoulder, pulling Kougami up. Kougami felt dizzy and his knees gave out, but Ginoza kept him upright and practically dragged him into the other room. Kougami sat on the edge of the hospital bed. 

Ginoza pulled off Kougami's shirt. Most of the blood had been cleaned off of Kougami's skin when he'd been extracting the bullets, so he simply tugged a clean t-shirt over Kougami's head, and then glanced down. 

“Can you get out of your jeans?” 

“Um.” 

“Later. Lie down.” 

Kougami obeyed. Sitting upright was making his head spin. 

Ginoza disappeared and came back with an IV. Kougami barely felt the needle go into his arm. 

“I'm also going to give you some blood.” 

“You have blood?” 

“I will in half an hour.” 

Kougami turned his head, frowning. But Ginoza disappeared again. 

He let his thoughts drift. This wasn't abnormal, for Ginoza to leave him alone after patching him up during the few times that Kougami stayed. Maybe Ginoza felt useless, just waiting for Kougami to regain his strength. Or maybe he had other things to do. He did have clients. His medical practice was a business. Kougami wasn't his only patient. Sometimes he saw people in a lab somewhere else in the city, or at their homes, or very rarely, in his own apartment as he did with Kougami. 

Half an hour must have passed, and Kougami must have fallen asleep, because he blinked and suddenly Ginoza was attaching another line to Kougami's arm, this one red with blood. Kougami stared at Ginoza's face, wondering if he'd kidnapped someone on the street. 

“Where the hell did you get blood?” 

“It's mine,” Ginoza said. “I'm a universal donor.” 

“Hang on a second--” 

“All the delicate work is done,” Ginoza said, stepping back from the IV. “You don't need to worry about me slipping up.” 

“I wasn't,” Kougami muttered. It felt weird, knowing that Ginoza's blood was pumping into him. It was his most severe injury; Ginoza had never had to give him replacement blood before. 

“Good. You shouldn't.” 

Kougami frowned, but didn't say anything because his tongue felt heavy. His mind started to drift again. He thought about how Ginoza sometimes said strange things that a person probably shouldn't say. Once, he'd taken a knife meant for Kougami when they were in their late teens and when he woke up a day later in the hospital, high on pain medication and blood loss, he'd muttered that it would've been better if he hadn't lived. Kougami didn't understand, and put it down to the medication or hearing it wrong, but even after that, Ginoza seemed oddly blasé about his own life for a doctor. 

Not that Kougami was one to talk. He spent way too much time getting patched up by Ginoza. 

He started thinking about his parents. Maybe because Ginoza mothered him, in an odd way, scolded him for getting injured. Kougami felt slightly bad about his parents, who had been there for him and whom he put through way too much worry until he moved out. And now they only didn't worry because they didn't know what he was doing. Being the city's best assassin because of a misplaced sense of justice wasn't something a parent didn't worry about. 

Just this incident alone, with Kougami recovering from being shot three times, would have been enough to put them in an early grave if they'd known. 

At some point, thinking about his parents, he fell asleep again, and when he woke up he heard voices coming from elsewhere in the apartment. The bag of blood that Ginoza had hung on his IV stand was empty, as was the bag of fluids that Ginoza had initially injected into him. Which meant it had been a few hours, probably. 

The voices were low, either because the two people talking were far away or trying not to speak loudly. Kougami recognized one as Ginoza's. The other was a woman's. It took him a few more seconds to realize that it was Akane talking. 

Akane was a therapist. She was also Ginoza and Kougami's friend. Kougami suspected that Akane was also acting as Ginoza's therapist, since she was one of the few people he trusted with knowing about his career and his existence, but Kougami had never asked and he could never really be sure. 

This didn't mean that Kougami thought that Ginoza needed a therapist. Actually, he just wanted Ginoza to have an outlet, considering how many secrets he kept in his line of work and how many gruesome things he had to deal with on a regular basis. He'd probably seen worse injuries and bodies than Kougami had. He was the sort of person who would be called to fix any injury no matter how severe, and to make the bodies go away. 

Slowly, Kougami sat up. He felt a little lightheaded, but not as bad as before, and he didn't fall over. He gave himself a minute to adjust, and then tried standing. 

A dull pain throbbed in his stomach. But his knees didn't buckle. 

Using the walls for support, he made his way into the kitchen, where he saw Akane slicing up some vegetables. Behind her, there was a pan on the stove and something in it was sizzling. 

Ginoza was watching her, sitting at the counter, a cup of tea in his hands. Kougami stood still, his instinct being that it was better to get an idea of the situation before jumping in. 

“I can give you some thought exercises if you want,” Akane said. 

“Exercises won't help,” Ginoza said, “when there's a very real danger.” 

“But your worry is disproportionate,” Akane pointed out. “I can also get you medicine.” 

“I can't take it,” Ginoza said. “I don't want anything to dull my concentration. Or haven't you noticed that I'm doing every job possible in the medical field by myself?” 

Akane sighed and tossed the vegetables into the pan. The sizzling got louder. 

“I don't know how you deal with all that stuff,” she said. 

“Years of training,” Ginoza said with a bitter laugh. “I saw my first dead body when I was five.” 

Akane winced, stirred the vegetables in the pan. Kougami caught a glimpse of noodles and his stomach growled. “I guess if you had a child they'd be exposed to the same things.” 

“I wouldn't have a child while I'm doing this,” Ginoza said. “I wouldn't subject them to that kind of life.” 

Kougami chose this moment to step forward. He knew that if the conversation were allowed to continue, Ginoza would get angrier, would start berating himself and his father more, and then he'd probably be in a bad mood for the rest of the night. 

Ginoza was the first to notice him and jumped up, rushing towards him. “You're not supposed to be up.” 

“I got hungry,” Kougami said, which was partially true. “Is that stir fry?” 

“Damn it, Kougami,” Ginoza snapped, “don't you know how to recover properly?” He steered Kougami towards one of the stools and forced him to sit. Kougami leaned forward against the counter, smiling at Akane. 

“Hi,” Akane said. “I heard you got into trouble again.” 

“Bit worse than usual this time,” Kougami admitted. “Gino had to give me blood.” 

“Yeah, and I don't have anymore to give, so don't do anything stupid,” Ginoza said. 

“At least not for two weeks,” Akane said, grinning. She took the pan off the stove and served the stir-fry in three bowls. 

“Where'd you learn to cook?” Kougami asked, taking a bite of vegetables and noodles. They were surprisingly tasty. The last time Akane had tried to cook, she'd nearly burnt Ginoza's apartment down. 

“Kagari,” Akane said. “And this is the only thing I can make right now.” 

“Better than me,” Kougami said. 

“So what did you do?” Akane asked. 

“Was asked to off someone,” Kougami said around a mouthful of noodles, “and they were onto me. So I got shot. That simple.” 

“They're not usually onto you,” Akane said, frowning. 

“I'm gaining a reputation,” Kougami said. 

“You have a reputation,” Ginoza said. “Every day I hear something about Tokyo's biggest pain in the ass.” 

“That can't be me,” Kougami said. 

“You are getting a reputation though,” Akane said. “That's what Kagari told me. No one really knows who you are but who else could they be talking about? The city's most dangerous assassin.” 

“Those guys who shot you didn't see your face, did they?” Ginoza asked sharply. 

Kougami shook his head. “I got out of there before that could happen. And, by the way, I still managed to kill my target.” 

“Congratulations,” Ginoza said, not sounding congratulatory at all. 

“You should be careful,” Akane said. 

“I am.” Kougami pushed his empty bowl away. “That's why not a lot of people know who I really am. I'm not an idiot.” 

“You got shot three times,” Ginoza said. He poked at his still nearly full bowl. 

“But you fixed me up,” Kougami said with a shrug. “So it's fine.” 

Ginoza looked away. 

“You should still be more careful,” Akane said. “If you get on the wrong side of the wrong people, you'll get hurt. Or worse.” 

“I'll get killed,” Kougami said. He didn't sound serious enough. 

“And I can't bring people back from the dead,” Ginoza said. 

He was completely serious. 

*

Three days later, Akane was worried. 

Ginoza was supposed to meet her for coffee, and he hadn't shown up. That was a few hours ago. Ginoza was one of those people who was always on time, early even. He wouldn't just not show up, even if he didn't want to come. 

And maybe he didn't want to meet her, because even though they were friends, they sometimes used their meet-ups as informal therapy sessions. Ginoza didn't want to see a therapist, and Akane couldn't really take Ginoza on officially as a patient since they knew each other, so this was how it had to be. And Ginoza tended to avoid his problems. 

But he would still grudgingly show up. Or send Akane a message that he couldn't make it. But for the past few hours, there'd been nothing. 

She called Kougami just in case Kougami had gotten into trouble and Ginoza was taking care of him, even though he was still recovering and shouldn't have been doing anything. Kougami was actually being a good patient, staying at home and reading. 

Akane decided to go to Ginoza's apartment. 

Part of her wondered if she was worrying too much. She was a reasonable person, and it wasn't like her. So she told herself that if she was feeling this worried, then there must be a good reason for it. She wasn't one to make things into more than they were. 

Ginoza's apartment building was in a sparsely populated part of the city, and the building itself was only half-occupied. It was a nice place, but a little out of the way, and some people found the area a bit sketchy, so there weren't a lot of tenants. Which was perfect for Ginoza and his clients. 

Akane typically had to be buzzed in, but the lobby door was already open, so she went inside and took the elevator up to Ginoza's floor. She walked the familiar path down the hallway to his door, but stopped in her tracks when she got there. 

The door was hanging off its hinges. 

Akane shivered. She didn't have any weapons except for pepper spray. She took that out. Kougami had taught her some basic defensive maneuvers, but if she was outnumbered, there wasn't much she could do. She pushed the door aside and stepped into the apartment. 

Blood was smeared on the floor, like someone had been dragged from the hallway. It led around the corner into the kitchen. Akane couldn't see anyone. Slowly, she moved forward, careful not to step on the blood. 

As she got closer, she heard labored breathing. It sounded wet, like someone was half-drowning. 

She sped up and rounded the corner. 

Ginoza lay on the kitchen floor, sprawled on his back. His torso was soaked in blood, and Akane thought she glimpsed bone, but she wasn't sure. Her eyes swept over the rest of his body. His right arm and left leg were at strange angles. His eyes were wide open, staring up, and every time he took a breath, blood bubbled from his lips and ran down his chin. 

“Ginoza!” Akane fell to her knees next to him, dropping the pepper spray. Her hands hovered over him, not sure what to do. She couldn't fix this. The only person qualified to fix this was Ginoza. 

She wanted to call an ambulance, but Ginoza had always been particular about the authorities knowing his address. And if an ambulance arrived and the responders saw this scene, the police would get involved. 

So Akane called up Shion. “I need a doctor I can trust,” she said. “It's Ginoza. He's hurt badly and I think he's going to bleed out if he doesn't get help quickly.” 

“Give me two minutes,” Shion said, and hung up. 

Akane stared at Ginoza's face. He didn't seem to notice her. “What happened?” 

He didn't answer. He seemed barely conscious. 

Akane's cellphone rang and she picked it up. “I have a doctor en route. He'll be there in ten minutes. Can you stop the bleeding?” 

“Uh.” Akane took a deep breath and scrutinized Ginoza's injuries more closely. There was definitely bone exposed, maybe a rib, but everything else was a mess of blood. She couldn't tell where the actual wounds were. 

“What position is he in?” 

“On his back,” Akane said. “He can't breathe well, but I don't want to move him just in case it makes the bleeding worse. I can't tell where the wounds are, Shion, or how many there are. And he has broken...limbs.” 

Shion made a noise of frustration. “And the people who did this are gone. Or person. Are there any signs they left behind of who they are?” 

Akane looked around the kitchen for the first time. One of Ginoza's large knives had been tossed a few feet away, but she couldn't see anything else out of the ordinary. 

“No.” 

“Do you know what clients Ginoza's been involved with recently?” 

“The only one I know about by name is Kougami,” Akane said. 

“Hmm.” There was typing on the other end. “Ginoza keeps morphine in his apartment, right?” 

Akane blinked. “Yeah. Do you think I should give him some?” 

“He's probably in a lot of pain,” Shion said. “If you can find it, I'd consider it.” 

Akane stood up, reluctant to leave Ginoza behind. But she headed into the spare room, started going through the drawers. She found syringes, gloves, rubbing alcohol and pads. But she wasn't sure what anything was. 

“I'll wait until the doctor gets here,” she said. 

“Fair enough,” Shion said. “He should be there soon.” 

Akane went back into the kitchen and knelt by Ginoza again. She took his hand and squeezed it. He didn't react. His skin felt cold. 

“It'll be fine,” Akane told him. “Help is on the way.” 

“Akane-chan,” Shion said. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Akane said. 

“Just making sure. I know this is hard for you.” 

“I feel better knowing that help is coming,” Akane said. “Thank you, Shion.” 

“Of course. I'm glad you called.” 

“I didn't know what to do.” She heard footsteps and tensed. “Someone's coming.” 

“That should be the doctor. His name is Saiga. Don't worry, he's nice enough.” 

The footsteps grew closer, and a man in a white lab coat appeared in the kitchen. Akane stood up, unsure of what to do. The man said, “I'm Doctor Saiga. Please, move aside.” He had two other people with him, and man and a woman carrying a stretcher. Akane moved out of the way and watched as Saiga started examining Ginoza. He probed at Ginoza's chest. Ginoza's breath hitched, and Akane looked away. 

“I'm going to go,” Akane said to Shion. “I'll go with him to the hospital to make sure everything is okay. I don't want him to wake up alone.” 

“Okay. And if you need anything, I'm here.” 

“Thank you.” Akane hung up. 

Within ten minutes, Saiga and the others were moving Ginoza out of the apartment and into a white van. Akane followed them to one of the city's central hospitals, and Ginoza was taken into surgery. 

“It might be some time,” Saiga had told her before they took Ginoza into the operating room. “The injuries are extensive and severe.” 

“I'll wait,” Akane said. And she did, sitting in the cold waiting room empty of anyone else. She thought about calling Kougami, or calling Shion again, or even Kagari so she could hear someone be a bit more lighthearted for a while. 

But she didn't call anyone. 

She wanted to know how the surgery turned out before she did that. 

*

Kougami's phone woke him up early the next morning. 

“Kougami?” Akane's voice sounded shaky. “I don't want you to get angry.” 

Which meant that whatever she was about to say was guaranteed to make him furious. He sat up in bed, clutching the phone tight. “What?” 

“Don't overreact,” she said. “Ginoza is in the hospital. He was attacked.”

For a moment, he stopped breathing. 

“I'll be there in ten minutes.”


	2. What's In a Name

The surgery was a success, but Ginoza would be spending a long time recovering, according to Saiga. He woke up some time around four in the morning, and Akane had been sitting in a chair next to his bed, drifting in and out of sleep. But she was awake when he opened his eyes. 

“Akane,” he murmured. He was high on painkillers and weak from blood loss, and he turned his head towards her. 

She took his hand and said, “Ginoza. You scared me.” 

“What?” 

“You're lucky we were supposed to meet for coffee,” she told him. “You didn't show up, so I went to your apartment.” 

Ginoza winced and closed his eyes. “You found me?” 

“Yeah. And I'm glad I did.” 

“I'm sorry.” 

“Why are you apologizing?” 

Ginoza didn't answer. 

“Was it one of your clients?” Akane asked. 

Ginoza opened his eyes. “No. It was...they wanted to know...about Kougami.” 

Akane felt herself go cold. “What?” 

“They didn't know his name. But they thought...if the most dangerous assassin in Tokyo got injured...where would he go? To me. So I must know who he is...where he lives...” 

Akane stared at him, horrified. 

“I didn't tell them anything,” Ginoza continued, slowly. “They weren't...happy.” 

Akane bit her lip. She knew she ought to tell Kougami. But she knew what would happen if she did. Kougami wasn't the sort of person to be quietly angry. He'd do something. 

“You should sleep,” she said. 

“Is...have you heard from Kougami?” There was an edge of worry in Ginoza's voice. 

“I'll call him,” Akane said. “He'll probably come straight here when he should be resting. I talked to him earlier and he was actually being a good patient.” 

Ginoza sighed. “Good.” His eyes closed, and a few minutes later, he was asleep. 

Akane stepped out to call Kougami, and then debated over what she would say when he arrived. 

He probably needed to know that he was being targeted. And it was disturbing that whoever was looking for him had managed to strike someone so close. Though perhaps they didn't know that Kougami and Ginoza were personally close. Perhaps they merely thought that Kougami was Ginoza's patient, and that was the extent that Ginoza knew him. She hoped so. 

Kougami arrived a few minutes later. Akane warned him that Ginoza was asleep. Kougami stood by his bed, staring. Akane could see his anger building. 

“Who could have given them Ginoza's address?” 

“Outside,” Akane said, “or you'll wake him up.” They went outside, and Kougami turned to Akane. 

“Only Ginoza's clients and a few other people know his address,” he said. “Not even all of his clients know it. The people who hurt him wouldn't have known it. Someone gave it to them. Did he say anything about them?” 

Akane bit her lip. “They wanted information about you.” 

Kougami swore. “I bet someone hired them.” 

“Kougami--” 

“I bet it was Makishima.” 

Akane inhaled sharply. Makishima was an information broker who, unlike Shion, let his information be used by anyone and everyone, no matter who the information would hurt or help. Akane had never met him, but he was well-known among everyone in the city for being dangerous simply because of how much he knew. He could bury anyone he wanted to. 

But he didn't know anything about Kougami's identity. Kougami had been careful to keep it that way. 

That must have pissed him off. It certainly pissed his clients off. 

“It's more likely Makishima would have been hired by someone else to find out about you,” Akane said. 

“But he's the sort of person who would send people to beat that information out of someone,” Kougami said. “I should go over there and--” 

“No. Makishima doesn't even know you. Once he knows who you are, he'll know everything about you. Do you really want to give him that much power?” 

Kougami made a noise of frustration. “Then I'm stuck. I can't just let them get away with this.” 

“You can't do much even if you knew who was responsible,” Akane said. “You're still recovering.” 

“Screw recovering,” Kougami snapped. “Gino nearly died.” 

“It isn't going to help him if you nearly die, too,” Akane pointed out. “Just...don't do anything rash. I'll come up with something.” 

Kougami stared at her. “You can't get involved in any of this.” 

“I'm not,” Akane said. “But I do need to make a phone call.” She took out her cellphone and walked down the hallway, leaving Kougami standing there, alone and confused. 

*

At ten in the morning, Kougami decided to get coffee. 

He returned to Ginoza's room to find a visitor standing over Ginoza's bed. And it wasn't Akane. 

“Hey,” he said, stepping into the room, ready to throw the coffee at whoever it was if he decided he didn't like them. 

The other person turned around. It was a man, older, wrinkles lining his face. He had brown hair that stuck up in all directions, and something about his eyes seemed vaguely familiar. 

“Who are you?” Kougami asked. 

The man gave Kougami a sad smile. “Don't worry. I was just leaving.” 

Kougami took another step forward. “Did you do something? Did you hurt him?” 

The man looked amused. “It's nice to know that Nobuchika has someone who cares about him so much.” He sounded like he meant it. 

Kougami's mouth opened and closed. “...Nobuchika?” 

“Don't worry, he's safe,” the man said. He brushed past Kougami and left the room. Kougami turned around. 

“Nobuchika,” he repeated. The way the man said that gave Kougami a strange feeling. It had been familiar. 

Ginoza was still very much unconscious. Kougami sank into the chair next to his bed. He'd ask Ginoza about it when he woke up. 

*

Kagari Shuusei really liked feeling important. 

People trusted him with computers, but they didn't often trust him with personal interaction. They said that he tended to scare people with his over-enthusiastic attitude. Kagari thought that was a shame, because he found his over-enthusiastic attitude just the right amount of enthusiastic, and charming. 

Akane called him asking him to pay a visit to the city's other information broker, the one he wasn't fond of. He liked Shion. Which is why he always went to her. But Akane wanted him to visit Makishima. 

“Why?” he asked. 

“Because Ginoza was attacked and maybe Makishima knows who did it,” Akane said. 

Kagari didn't know Ginoza particularly well because he never really had a reason to seek out Ginoza's services. He'd met Ginoza once. Ginoza struck him as a bit uptight, a bit tense, a bit like someone who could use Akane's services but probably wouldn't. 

Makishima's office was located fifteen minutes away from Kagari's office by train. Kagari had never actually talked to Makishima, just heard about him through other people. He knew that Makishima was willing to do things that Shion wasn't, to give information to people that Shion refused to sell information to. 

When he got there, he expected to have to wait or be told that he'd have to make an appointment. Makishima seemed like that kind of person. 

Instead, the door opened and Makishima himself stood there, dressed in all-white. Kagari wasn't a fan—he preferred multiple bright colors. White seemed too clinical. Makishima's clothes matched his long, white hair, and he gave Kagari a smile that seemed more predatory than kind. 

“How can I help you?” he asked. “Do come in.” 

As Makishima led Kagari into the spacious office, Kagari told him who he was and that, “I'm here to ask about something that happened to a friend.” 

Makishima gestured to a couch placed against the wall furthest away from the floor-to-ceiling window that was behind his desk. “Tea?” he asked. 

“Nah.” Kagari sat down, sinking a bit awkwardly into the cushion. 

Makishima sat opposite him, crossed one leg over the other, and leaned forward. “I'll try to help as best I can.” 

“You know who Ginoza Nobuchika is, right?” 

Makishima nodded. “The doctor?” 

“Someone attacked him,” Kagari said, “though you probably know that, too.” 

“I'd heard something,” Makishima said. He didn't sound surprised. 

Kagari wondered who Makishima had heard it from. In theory, Akane, Shion, Ginoza's doctor, and Kougami were the only ones who knew. “Do you know who did it?” 

Makishima tapped his long fingers on his knee. “Unfortunately not,” he said. He leaned forward, scrutinizing Kagari like a scientist might look at a slide under a microscope. “Are you planning revenge? Is he a friend of yours?” 

“No,” Kagari said. His skin crawled and he shifted. “I'm asking for a friend. Just thought it might be easier if you knew, rather than trying to do things the hard way.” 

“What is the hard way?” Makishima asked. 

Kagari shrugged. “Checking his records.” 

“And you know how to do that?” 

“I'm good with computers.” That seemed to catch Makishima's interest, and Kagari didn't want it, so he said, “You don't know anything at all, then.” 

“I don't.” 

“Even though you somehow know about the attack.” He didn't bother to hide his skepticism. 

Makishima sighed. 

“And,” Kagari continued, “you're one of the few people who has Ginoza's address. Well, aside from a handful of his clients. Theoretically it could've been one of them, but he would've had to have pissed them off, and he doesn't seem like the kind of person who pisses people off.” 

Makishima arched an eyebrow. “Are you insinuating that I'm responsible for your friend's attack?” 

“Not my friend,” Kagari muttered. “And no. Not at all.” 

“Who is it again that asked you to visit me?” 

“I didn't say,” Kagari said. He stood up. “Well, do I owe you anything?” 

“I didn't have the answers you wanted, so no,” Makishima said. “But feel free to come back again. I might know more in the future.” He stood as well. 

Kagari nodded. “Right. Um, bye.” 

He left the office, and the building, as fast as he could. He had to think. 

Something about Makishima was strange. He set off every warning instinct Kagari had. Every bit of distrust. 

Maybe it was nothing. But it probably wasn't. Because Makishima liked knowing things. He liked having leverage over people. He had a lot of information at his disposal. He didn't seem to have the same morals as Shion when it came to what to do with that information. Meeting him hadn't changed Kagari's impression of him. 

Which made him a suspect. Perhaps the meeting hadn't been useless. 

*

Makishima watched Kagari walk down the sidewalk. He dialed a number on his cellphone. 

“Hello?” 

Makishima smiled. “Choe, I think I've found an interesting new toy for you to play with. He's good with computers.” 

“Oh?” 

“Kagari Shuusei. Look into him and what he's doing.” 

“Mmm-hmm. Any particular reason?” 

“He doesn't trust me,” Makishima said. “He's connected to Ginoza Nobuchika in some way.” 

“We can't have that,” Choe murmured, and then he hung up. 

Outside, Kagari disappeared around a corner. 

*

“You should quit.” 

Kougami looked up from the book he was reading, surprised. He hadn't noticed that Ginoza had woken up, and he put the book aside. “Are you okay?” 

Ginoza looked very much not okay. He looked half-dead. But he also looked worried. “What are you going to do?” 

Kougami frowned. “What do you mean?” 

Ginoza gave him a pained smile. “I know you, Kougami. You're going to want to do something. But you haven't done anything yet.” 

“You shouldn't be talking so much,” Kougami said. It sounded like it was painful for him. “But no, I haven't done anything.” The yet was implied. 

“I know you're going to,” Ginoza said. “Even if you shouldn't. Not my my account. But...” He paused to catch his breath. “If you do anything, you should quit. You're in danger. Someone really wants to hurt you.” 

“I've never been hurt in a way I couldn't come back from,” Kougami said. 

“Don't,” Ginoza snapped. Kougami flinched at the harshness of his voice. 

“Ginoza, what--”

“Don't tell me that,” Ginoza cut him off. “I've had to stitch you up way too many times for you to say that. The last time, it was really bad. Do you know how hard it is to—” He swallowed again, clenched his jaw. 

“How hard it is to?” Kougami prompted. 

Ginoza shook his head. 

“What else would I do?” Kougami asked. “Even if I quit, and I don't want to--” 

“You want to put yourself in danger like that?” 

“It's a job, and I'm good at it,” Kougami said. “And even if I did quit, there are still people out there who hate me. Who'd want to hurt me.” 

“There's be less,” Ginoza said. “They wouldn't know it was you.” 

“I don't think it's that easy,” Kougami told him. Ginoza closed his eyes. He actually looked like he was trying not to cry, which Kougami found confusing. “Why are you so upset? I'm not the one who's hurt.” 

“I know how much they want to hurt you,” Ginoza said, quietly. He clutched at the thin blanket that covered him. 

“It's always been a risk,” Kougami said. “I thought you knew that.” 

Ginoza didn't answer him. He just looked away. 

And Kougami had no idea what to do. So he stepped out into the hallway and called Akane. 

*

In another part of town, Akane was in her office seriously considering calling in some favors so that Ginoza could get free therapy. She was also considering just giving him therapy herself, even if it would be a weird development in their relationship. 

And then her phone rang. She was in-between appointments, so she picked up the call. 

“Akane-chan!” 

“Kagari, did you meet Makishima?” 

“I did.” Kagari dropped his voice. He sounded like he was outside. “There's something I don't like about the guy, Akane. He said he didn't know a thing, even though he knew about the attack somehow. He outright asked me if I thought he did it. Which I think was to put me on edge. I told him I didn't but...” He sighed. “I dunno, Akane. He has so much information on his hands. Meeting him didn't make him any less suspicious.” 

Akane frowned. She knew that instincts weren't enough to accuse anyone of anything, but over the years she'd also learned to trust hers. And Kagari had the same instincts. 

“Did he know about Kougami?” she asked. 

“No,” Kagari said. “But why would he want to attack Ginoza? Ginoza probably helps a lot of his clients.” 

“I think it has to do with Kougami,” Akane said. “Kougami is one of the few people that Makishima doesn't know about. He knows Kougami exists because he probably works against some of his clients. It must really bother him, that he doesn't know his name. It gives Kougami more power over him.” 

“So he has power issues?” Kagari asked. 

“He needs to know everything,” Akane said. “He tried to get Shion to sell some of her information to him. And if he is behind it, he's probably trying to draw Kougami out by seeing if hurting certain people gets a reaction from him. If he knows Kougami's identity, he'll have leverage over him. He can use Kougami. And it'll work, because you know how Kougami is. He'll go for Makishima without thinking.” 

“If Kou-chan thinks Makishima is the one behind it,” Kagari said. 

Akane closed her eyes. “Right.” 

“Kou-chan's gonna put himself in danger,” Kagari said. “Look, I'm gonna try to get something on him by going through Ginoza's records. But do you really think Kou-chan should know?” 

“No,” Akane said. “I don't like lying to him but...we don't need anymore people hurt.” 

“Anyway, I gotta go. Heading into the subway. Later, Akane-chan!” 

As soon as Akane hung up, her phone started ringing again. This time it was Kougami, which startled her. She picked up the phone, trying to sound as calm as possible. “Kougami?” 

“Have you found out anything?” Kougami asked. He sounded tense. On the border of angry. 

“Kagari talked to Makishima,” Akane said. “He's not behind it.” 

A sigh. “Are you sure?” 

“Kagari knows what he's doing,” Akane said, probably with more force than necessary. 

“Yeah. Akane, can I...I'm...” He cut himself off. 

“Are you still at the hospital?” Akane asked. 

“Yeah,” Kougami said. “Ginoza's awake. Or he was.” 

“Is he okay?” Akane prompted, because it sounded like Kougami had more to say and had no idea how to say it. 

“As much as he can be,” Kougami said. “I...he told me that he wants me to quit.” 

“What?” 

“He says he's afraid I'll get hurt. Or killed. Because he knows how many people are after me and what they'll do.” Kougami sighed. “But he's the one that's hurt.” 

“Oh.” Akane bit her lip. “I can talk to Ginoza, if you want.” 

“Yeah. Yeah, that'd be good.” 

“I'll talk to Ginoza when I'm done for the day.” 

“Okay.” 

“Kougami.” Akane took a deep breath. “Promise me you won't do anything rash.” 

“It depends on what I find out,” Kougami said. 

“Kougami--” 

“I'm gonna go,” Kougami said. “See you later, Akane.” And he hung up. 

Akane put the phone down and closed her eyes. 

She hoped Kougami wouldn't find anything. 

*

That night, two things were happening. The first was that Kougami visited Kagari in his office and told him to look into Ginoza's files. 

“Akane already beat you to it, Kou-chan,” Kagari told him. “You can watch me if you want but it's pretty boring.” 

“Akane did what?” 

“What?” Kagari smirked at him. “Ginoza's her friend too, you know.” 

“I know but...I didn't know.” 

“If you're gonna stay here, you should get me a coffee,” Kagari said. “It's gonna be a long night. Ginoza had a lot of patients. And also some snacks. Sweet ones.” 

Kougami sighed. “Fine. But only because it's for Gino's sake.” He stood up and left to go to the grocery store. 

Meanwhile, Akane returned to the hospital to find Ginoza awake and staring at the ceiling. She approached the bed slowly. 

“Ginoza?” 

Ginoza turned his head to look at her. “Where's Kougami?” 

“At home, probably,” Akane said. “If you're worried about him doing anything stupid, we've told him not to.” 

“He doesn't listen,” Ginoza rasped. “Akane...I don't think I can do this.” 

The slight slur to his words told Akane that he'd probably been given a lot of painkillers. Which also meant that he was probably going to tell her things that he ordinarily would struggle to say. She waited for him to continue, and he did. 

“I don't know why, but I...I think I care about Kougami too much. It's terrifying. I can't see him now and I'm scared that I'll never see him again. And I'm stuck in this hospital bed. I wish I could get out and—and...I don't know why, Akane.” 

He looked so helpless, desperate, that Akane wanted to hug him. But she settled for taking one of his hands. “I think it's because Kougami is your friend.” 

“But I feel...I would take him and leave if I could...Akane, I think.” He swallowed. “He's not just my friend. To me.” 

Akane stared at him. “You mean...you like Kougami? As more than a friend?” 

“Ha, I shouldn't,” Ginoza murmured. “I know what he does. It's foolish. Why would I do that to myself? But I am. I don't want to. I wish I didn't. I wish...he wasn't...” He suddenly grabbed her hand with his free one. “Akane, you need to stop him.” 

“He's not doing anything,” Akane said. “Trust me. He doesn't have anyone to lash out at.” 

“But he will. He will.” 

“I'm having Kagari try to find out who could've done this,” Akane told him. “And if we figure out who it is, well, we don't have to tell Kougami if you don't want us to.” 

“Please,” Ginoza said. “Just let it go.” 

“We can't,” Akane said with a sad smile. “You're our friend.” 

Ginoza closed his eyes and turned his head away. “I'm not worth the risk.” 

“You are.” Akane squeezed his hand. “Why didn't you tell Kougami how you feel about him?” 

“He won't quit for me,” Ginoza said. “He won't return the feelings. I'm just his doctor-friend that can patch him up when he gets into too much trouble.” 

“You're not just that to him,” Akane said. “He's so upset about what happened. He really cares about you.” 

Ginoza took a sharp breath and looked at Akane again, scared. “I don't want...I don't want him to come to me,” he whispered, “and I can't fix him.”


	3. Got You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end. Enjoy!

“Akane-chan, listen, some weird shit just happened,” Kagari said into his phone as he walked down the empty street towards the nearby 24-hour library. “I was looking into Ginoza's files and I saw that someone else was also looking at them. And then some of the files on my computer started opening by themselves. Someone's hacking me. I bet it has to do with Makishima but I'm going to the library to try to hack them back. Call you later.” 

The library itself was dead-quiet. He made his way towards the computers, sat down, and started to work. 

*

Twenty minutes later, Kougami returned to Kagari's office with the stuff he'd requested, only to find a note on the door. It read, “Kou-chan!!! I went to the library. Pls bring snacks there.” 

Kougami sighed and started back the way he came. It took ten minutes to walk to the library, and he saw no one else on the way there. Even when he walked inside, the only person he came across was the tired-looking librarian working the night shift. He made his way to the computer section. 

Only to find no one there, and all the computer screens dark. 

He took out his phone and texted Kagari's number to ask where he was, sitting down at one of the desks. 

Ten minutes later, there was still no answer. 

With a sigh, he left the snacks near one of the computers and walked back out of the library, nodding to the librarian as he passed. He sent another text reading, “Where the hell are you? I left the snacks on one of the desks. I'm heading back. It's late and I want to visit Gino early tomorrow.” 

Two days later, Kagari hadn't texted him back. 

*

Two days later, Ginoza was released from the hospital. 

“I can take you home,” Kougami said. 

Ginoza shook his head, gingerly pulling on a sweater so as not to disturb his broken arm. “My building might be watched.” 

That was true. Kougami frowned. “But you're on bed rest. That means I might not be able to see you until you can leave.” 

“It might,” Ginoza said. He didn't look at Kougami. 

“I'll make sure he's fine,” Akane said. 

“Okay. Gino--” Kougami moved forward as Ginoza grabbed his crutches and tried to stand, and swayed heavily. He managed to catch Ginoza, tried to hold him up, but Ginoza pulled away a second later, pale but able to support himself. 

“It's fine,” he said. “Should we go?” 

Akane nodded. 

Kougami shifted on his feet. “Let me know if you need anything.” 

“Of course,” Akane said. 

“I feel useless like this,” Kougami said. “Maybe if I just disguise myself, or cover my face--” 

“Don't risk it,” Ginoza said. 

“At least not for the first few days,” Akane added. 

They walked outside together, and Akane helped Ginoza into her car. Before she got in she turned to Kougami and said, “Don't do anything without telling me. Please, Kougami.” 

Kougami nodded. 

“Thank you.” Akane turned away and got in the car, leaving him in the parking garage. She was worried about him. Idleness didn't suit Kougami well, and the longer he was left to his own devices, the more likely it was that he would end up doing something rash. 

Ginoza spent the ride staring out the window, and he didn't say a word when they got back to his apartment. The blood had been cleaned up, but Ginoza still tensed when they they passed the kitchen on the way to the bedroom. 

“Sorry,” Akane said. 

“It's fine. I'm being silly,” Ginoza muttered. 

“You're not. What happened was...not the sort of thing you just get over.” 

“I should,” Ginoza said. 

“You're too hard on yourself.” She helped Ginoza sit on the bed, noting how he winced, how he was out of breath from the walk up from the car. She placed his crutches nearby and sat next to him. 

“You don't have to stay,” he told her. 

“I want to,” Akane said. For a moment neither of them spoke, Ginoza picking at the sleeve of his sweater with shaky fingers. Then Akane decided to break the silence. “Do you remember what you told me the other night in the hospital?” 

Ginoza winced, and nodded. 

“We don't have to talk about it,” Akane said. “I understand you wouldn't normally have said that stuff.” 

Ginoza was quiet for a few moments. And then he said, “It was all true.” 

Akane nodded. “Are you going to tell him?” 

Ginoza looked stricken. “No. I'm sure Kougami only sees me as a friend at best. The person who patches him up at worst. And it wouldn't work. I'd always be afraid.” 

“Because of his job,” Akane said. 

“Yes.” Ginoza stopped picking at his sleeve. “And I don't think he'd stop. Not for me.” 

“You shouldn't be so down on yourself,” Akane said. 

Ginoza looked up at her. “It's true.” He sighed. “I'm tired.” 

“You should sleep.” 

Ginoza closed his eyes, nudged her. As if he wanted to lean against her, but wasn't allowing himself to. “It's not that kind of tired.” 

Akane gave him a sad smile. “I know.” 

*

“How is he?” 

Akane cupped her coffee and took a deep sip. She'd needed it after talking to Ginoza, and Kougami had suggested they go to a cafe for a bit. 

“Fine. He...” She bit her lip. “Kougami, he's worried about you.” 

“I know, and I'm not the one he needs to be worried about,” Kougami muttered. 

“Considering what the people who are after you did to Ginoza, I think he's right,” Akane said. “I'm worried about you, too.” 

“Did you spend the whole time talking about me?” Kougami asked. 

“No,” Akane said. “But maybe...a good amount of time. I'm starting to think he's right, about you quitting.” 

Kougami massaged his temples. “Akane.” 

“He cares about you,” Akane continued. “He told me he doesn't want to lose you.” 

“That's...” Kougami frowned. “He didn't say that.” 

“He did.” 

“I can't quit,” Kougami said. “It's the only thing I can see myself doing. It's too late for me to have any kind of normal life.” 

“Even if you left the city?” 

“I don't want to,” Kougami said. 

“What if one of us went with you?” Akane asked. 

Kougami looked down at his drink, laughed. “You make it sound like it's easy.” 

“It's easier than you're making it out to be,” Akane said. 

Kougami sighed. “I can't do that.” 

“You should think about it,” Akane insisted. “You shouldn't just reject the idea so quickly.” 

Kougami took another sip of his drink. “I'm worried about Kagari. I haven't heard from him in a long time.” 

Akane was worried too, even though she didn't want to think that anything was wrong. She was hoping that Kagari was just absorbed in his search. But at this point it was starting to look less and less likely. 

“We can stop by his apartment,” she suggested. “Or I could. I don't think you should.” 

“You really think the people who hurt Ginoza are also watching Kagari's apartment?” 

“You can never be too careful.” 

Half an hour later Akane arrived at Kagari's apartment by herself. She knocked on the door, tried calling his phone, and received no answer from either. She decided to use the spare key Kagari gave her once when he was working on a project and wanted her to bring him snacks but didn't want to have to leave the computer. She'd thought it was lazy at the time, but now she was grateful. 

Kagari's apartment was truly empty. His bed was a mess, the kitchen still had dirty dishes in the sink. She had the eerie feeling that he'd just up and disappeared. 

She was standing in the middle of the living room when her phone rang and she picked it up. “Hello?” 

“Akane.” Shion was on the other end, sounding upset. “Akane, I'm so sorry.” 

Akane felt herself go cold and still. “What is it?” 

“It's Kagari,” Shion said. “The police found his body behind the library.” 

*

Akane didn't know what to do. She'd gone to the morgue to identify Kagari's body. It was definitely him, lying cold and lifeless on the metal table in front of her. She'd nearly burst into tears, had to turn away. 

She didn't know who to tell. 

Kougami would be furious. He'd do something rash. Ginoza tended to think things out more than Kougami. Out of the two of them, Akane felt better telling him. So she went to his apartment, used the spare key to get in, and found Ginoza where she'd left him, on his bed. 

“Akane?” He looked surprised to see her. He was reading a book, perhaps one that Kougami had recommended. Kougami recommended a lot of books. The cover looked like science fiction. “What's wrong?” He struggled a bit sitting up, wincing. 

Akane felt her face grow hot, her eyes start to burn. She was going to cry. She pressed a hand to her mouth. 

“Akane.” Ginoza grabbed his crutches, hobbled over to where Akane was standing still, trying to control herself. He placed his good hand on her shoulder. “Akane, what happened?” 

“Kagari...he's dead,” Akane managed to choke out. “Someone killed him.” 

And then she did burst into tears. 

Ginoza, through some awkward maneuvering, managed to wrap both his arms around Akane, allowing her to sob into his chest. He held her like that for a few minutes, loosely, because of his injuries. But she found comfort in it. She'd needed to grieve with someone. 

Finally, she pulled away, feeling spent. Ginoza was looking at her with concern. “I'm so sorry,” he said. 

Akane wiped at her face with her sleeve. “I should have checked on him. I should have been with him. I shouldn't have asked him to get involved.” 

Ginoza frowned at her. “You can't blame yourself. It's not your fault at all.” 

“I asked him to research Makishima,” Akane said. “I don't think it's a coincidence that after they met, someone hacked into your files, and then he disappeared. I think they're connected.” 

Akane's words started to fully register with Ginoza. “He went to Makishima?” 

Akane nodded. “And when he left he was suspicious. And that's when someone else started getting into your files, trying to hack Kagari. And Kagari tried to trace it. That's when he disappeared.” 

“Oh.” 

“I don't know what to do,” Akane said. “I don't know how to tell Kougami. I'm afraid of what he'll do if I tell him.” 

“You should wait,” Ginoza said, quietly. “Until you know more. We don't need Kougami to do anything rash.” 

Akane nodded.

“Can I make you something?” Ginoza continued. “Tea? Coffee? Food?” 

Akane shook her head. “You should be resting.” 

“It really isn't any trouble.” 

“I think I just...I'm tired.” She laughed. “Isn't that weird? After all that. I'm tired. I might take a nap.” 

“You can stay here for a bit,” Ginoza said. 

“Thanks.” Akane stepped back, smiling at him, grateful. “Thanks for...letting me cry on you.” 

Ginoza still looked concerned. “Of course.” 

*

“I think I need to disappear for a while.” 

Makishima took a bite of his tea-soaked madeleine. Choe kept him a steady supply of the small cakes, and he appreciated it. They were probably another thing he'd have to sacrifice when he left the city. 

Choe was leaning against his bookcase a few feet away, watching him, arms crossed over his chest. “Really?” 

“The man you killed suspected me,” Makishima said. “I think his friends will, too. Of course, he had no proof. But perhaps it's better if I make myself scarce for some time, and come back once the dust has settled.” 

“You might not be able to find out who that assassin is from a distance,” Choe pointed out. 

“I can wait,” Makishima said. 

“I can try to find out for you,” Choe added. 

“No.” Makishima smiled. “I want you to come with me.” 

Choe looked surprised. “Why?” 

“What would I be without my favorite hacker?” Makishima said. “I couldn't leave you behind.” 

“I'm not sure if I should take you seriously.” 

“You can take those words seriously, Choe,” Makishima said. He finished off the last bite of his madeleine and stood up. “We're playing a long game here. If you stay, this assassin might find you. Better to give him nothing to take out his anger on, make him desperate. When we return, he'll have let his guard down.” 

Choe sighed. “I'm not a patient man.” 

Makishima smirked. “I'll make the wait worth your while.” 

“I guess I can be convinced,” Choe said, his lips twitching. “But I might stay for a few more days to keep an eye on things. You never know what you'll find.” 

*

Akane fell asleep within half an hour of laying down on the couch. Ginoza knew she would wake up soon and that was why, as soon as he was able to move across the living room without her so much as twitching, he walked out the door. 

Kagari's death shook him. And he felt like it was his fault. They'd gotten into this mess because he'd gotten hurt, and now Kagari was dead. He felt like he had to fix this somehow. 

He was going to see Makishima. He would find out the truth. 

Or at least try. He didn't have a plan for what he'd do when he got there. He was injured. At most, he could say harsh words, maybe land a punch or two. He hid the kitchen knife that had been used to cut him open under his jacket, just in case. He didn't think he could kill someone, but he had the feeling that Makishima would not hesitate to kill him. 

It took him an hour to get to the building that Makishima called his headquarters, and by the time he got there, he was exhausted and shaking. But he still went up to his office, raised his hand, and knocked on the door. 

No one answered. 

He knocked again, harder. Again, no answer. He tried the doorknob. 

It was unlocked. 

The door swung open, and Ginoza reached into his jacket, gripping the handle of his knife with his good hand. He staggered into the room, glancing around. 

It was empty. Makishima had gone. 

“Ginoza!” 

The sudden breaking of silence jolted Ginoza, and without thinking he spun around, swiping with the knife. The person behind him jumped back, shouting, “Wait!” and Ginoza was nearly sick when he saw who it was. 

Kougami. 

He dropped the knife. And then sank to the ground, his broken leg folding awkwardly beneath him. But he didn't notice. He was shaking. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded, voice breaking. “Why--” 

“What are you doing here?” Kougami shot back. “You're injured. Akane woke up and was scared to death. What were you trying to accomplish?” 

“I wanted to find out the truth,” Ginoza snapped. “This is all my fault. Kagari is dead because I got hurt. I wasn't careful. And I didn't want anyone else to get hurt because of me. So why are you here?” 

“You have no idea how scared I was when Akane called me,” Kougami said, kneeling in front of him. “I thought you were dead.” 

“Why would you be scared?” Ginoza asked. 

“Because I care about you,” Kougami said, shocked. “What do you mean, why would I be scared? How could you think I wouldn't be?”

“I don't know.” 

“Why are you blaming yourself? None of this is your fault,” Kougami continued. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” 

“I didn't want you to die,” Ginoza blurted out. “I don't know what I would do if you were gone.” 

Kougami leaned back, stunned. “What?” 

Ginoza clamped his mouth shut so hard that his teeth clicked against each other. 

“Wait, Gino,” Kougami said. “What do you mean?” 

Ginoza looked away. 

“Gino,” Kougami insisted. 

“I...have feelings for you,” Ginoza muttered. 

“What?” 

“But it doesn't matter,” Ginoza added. “Because we can't continue like this. You would never leave your job, even though it might kill you, and I don't know if I could handle that.” 

Kougami stared at him. “And your job isn't dangerous?” 

Ginoza glanced up. “What?” 

“You deal with all sorts of dangerous clients,” Kougami said. “Including me. You were used to get through me because of the things you know in your line of work. Would you quit?” 

“I don't trust anyone else to put you together properly,” Ginoza said. 

“So you wouldn't,” Kougami said. “And I won't quit my job, either. But I don't think that should be a deal breaker.” 

“That is different. You get injured all the--” The full meaning of Kougami's words caught up with him mid-sentence. “What do you mean, it shouldn't be a deal breaker?” 

“I'm interested,” Kougami said. “I...like you.” 

Ginoza stared at him. 

“Don't look so surprised,” Kougami continued. “What's not to like?” 

“You shouldn't ask me that,” Ginoza said. “I have a long list.” 

“I'd refute every single thing.” 

“I didn't think you would feel that way towards me.” 

Kougami sighed. “You've been making a lot of assumptions about me.” 

Ginoza dropped his gaze. “Perhaps. Because I...I was scared.” 

Kougami leaned forward. “Let me help with that.” He placed his hand under Ginoza's chin, tilting his head up. “I care about you. If you'd died back then, or right now, I would have been devastated. Don't underestimate how much you matter.” 

Ginoza sucked in a sharp breath. 

And Kougami kissed him before he could say anything else. 

*

In a warehouse on the other side of town, Choe rested his head in his hands, grinning at the monitor. 

On the screen, two men kissed. 

“Got you,” he murmured. 

A second later, he heard a click behind him. 

“Got you,” a woman's voice said. He turned, saw a woman with long black hair aiming a gun at him. 

Choe held up his hands. 

The woman shot. He slumped over the computer monitor, and she reached over his dead body to to get to the controls. 

*

Akane received two messages in quick succession after an hour and a half of waiting to find out whether or not Ginoza was alive. 

The first came from Kougami. It read: “found Ginoza. Am taking him back to my place. We may be together now.” 

The second was from Shion. “Reverse-hacked the guy who hacked Kagari. Sent Kunizuka to the location I traced him back to. She killed him, got some tapes that I'm erasing. Kougami's secret is safe. Also searching his tech for info on who employed him.” 

She sank onto Ginoza's couch, tears streaming down her face. But she was smiling. 

*

“I feel like I'm on the edge of a cliff. Like I'll fall off if I make the wrong move.” 

Kougami held Ginoza. They were curled up together in Kougami's bed. 

“Maybe you should embrace it,” Kougami murmured. 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Ginoza snapped, tensing. 

“I can't lie to you,” Kougami said. “I think we'll fall one day. But hopefully, we'll fall together. I think we just have to accept it, given what we both do for a living.” 

Ginoza closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. “I wish you weren't right.” 

“I'm always right.” 

Ginoza elbowed him in the stomach. 

“I hope I'm wrong,” Kougami continued. “About falling. Not about the being together part. That can...that can be right. I just hope we don't have to fall.” 

“I hope so, too,” Ginoza said. He didn't believe they wouldn't. He had the feeling that nothing about their relationship would be easy. But falling asleep in Kougami's arms that night, for the first time in a long time, he felt hope. 

The next morning he woke up. Kougami's arms were no long around him. He was alone. He sat up too quick, doubling over at the pain from his still-healing wounds, breathing fast. He glanced around, caught sight of a piece of paper stuck to Kougami's pillow. 

He picked it up. It read, in Kougami's scrawled handwriting, “See you soon, doctor. I've got work to do.” 

Ginoza laughed, a little too high-pitched, and folded the note with shaky hands. He shouldn't have expected anything less. 

He, too, would have work to do.


End file.
